Things You'll Do
by sweetsunshine000
Summary: Susan wasn't always the logical one. She used to be like every other care-free child in the world. What changed? ONESHOT.


**Author's Note: Okay, so I'm actually really proud of this one. I've been wanting to do a story on Susan because I kinda did stories on everyone else. Edmund's my favorite character so pretty much all my Chronicles of Narnia stories are on him, and they usually involve Peter, but I have one that involves Lucy. This one doesn't involve Edmund at all so that's what makes me extra proud. Anyway, it is based on the movie, as are all my stories. Why do I never base them off the books? Simple. Because I have the movies. I don't have the books. I read the books in like elementary school so I barely remember any of it. It's kinda like I never read them. So if you want a story from me based on the books, it wouldn't be very detailed or very long. Deep breath. Well that was a pointless rant. Please read and review.**

**--**

**THINGS YOU'LL DO**

I wasn't always the logical one. When I was little, I was like every other child. I pranced around in the flower fields without a care in the world and played ordinary childish games. But compared to three other siblings, there wasn't anything really special about me or anything worth the attention. I probably received the least amount of attention from my parents. Peter is the oldest, and he has that sense of importance that comes with such ranking. And of course, what mother isn't worried about her _growing baby_? Edmund's the mischievous one. If you don't hear the word trouble in any conversation involving Edmund, then they are not talking about Edmund Pevensie. So he obviously is going to need more attention, or he'll just get into even more tomfoolery. And Lucy's the youngest. She's everyone's little ball of sunshine. Honestly, who can resist an adorable face like hers? Meanwhile, I was merely one of the middle children, but unlike Edmund, I didn't have misbehavior to grab the attention of my parents. I had nothing. When friends of my parents would come over, I would listen to them converse on various subjects, but when the subject was about children, more specifically the Pevensie children, it was rarely about me.

"_Lucy is just so adorable," _they would say, or, _"Peter is growing up to be such a handsome young man." _And we can't forget, _"Edmund is getting himself into quite a lot of trouble, isn't he?" _

It wasn't until later that I started to develop my "logical" attitude. I remembered when Lucy came home one day with a drawing she had made in class. It wasn't a great drawing. You couldn't even tell what it was, but Mom was so proud of it, no matter how unrecognizable it was. She pinned it up on the beaten down device we call a refrigerator for all the world to see. I always felt a little down at the fact that I didn't have my place on the fridge. I had a few pictures, but they usually included another one of my siblings or the entire family, nothing where the focus is me. Edmund had nothing on this imaginary wall of fame, but he was a different story. One day, though, after the long, usual routine of school, it was me that was skipping down the sidewalk on the way home with a piece of paper in my hand, eager to tell Mom the good news.

"_I don't get why you're so happy," Lucy said as we walked the rest of the distance to our house. "You have these tests every week, and you never do bad on them. You always do good."_

_Resisting the temptation to use my 5__th__ Grade knowledge of the difference between adjectives and adverbs to correct Lucy's grammar, I stood up tall and replied gently, "Yes, but I did extremely well on this one." _

_Once we made it to the exterior of our house, I burst through the front door, yelling, "Mommy! Mommy! Guess what. We had our spelling test today, and I got every one right!"_

_I found our mom in the kitchen, preparing dinner as usual. _

"_Oh that's great, Susan. Let me see." _

_I gave her the paper, which was all wrinkled from me gripping it too tightly. _

"_This is wonderful, Su."_

_And with that, she turned around, heading over to the fridge. A big grin spread across my face as she pinned it up, slightly covering Lucy's drawing she had made a few weeks ago, putting it to shame. _

Since then, I always tried to grab the neglected attention I didn't have when I was younger with logic and display of my knowledge. I paid more attention in school. I tried to act more mature. I started reading the dictionary and got involved, or at least tried to, in more adult-like conversations. It was nice to hear my parent's friends talk about me for once. Compliments once saved for Peter and Lucy turned into, _"That's a nice set of vocabulary your daughter has there, Helen" _and _"Susan is rather smart for her age."_

When we grew older, however, I became aware that as impressed as my parents and their friends were with my logic and knowledge, my siblings were annoyed with it. They were no longer interested in guessing definitions of words we found in the dictionary, though I thought it wasn't as boring as they say it is. But even I could see that maybe it was getting a little too far.

_Peter tugged Lucy frantically. _

_"Come on!" _

_"Wait, will you just think about this for a minute?" I yelled, trying to be heard over the disintegrating river as it melted from the coming heat._

_"We don't have a minute!" Peter replied, annoyed. I shrunk down a little, surprised at his tone. _

_"I was just trying to be realistic."_

_"No, you were trying to be __**smart**__…as usual!" _

_The words stung me. It hurt to be called out on such a thing, but as I heard the howl of a wolf and took a quick panic-stricken glance at the river, I knew, deep down, that he was right. _

The words still stung, but at least they made me realized that I had let this attitude affect me too much. It took over me and turned me into a person I did not notice I had become.

_"Mom hasn't had a dress like this since before the war," I said, admiring the comfort and delicacy of the dress the Narnians had given me to wear. _

_"We should bring her one back…a whole trunk full!" Lucy suggested with a smile. _

_At that moment, I thought of home and my friends and the rest of my family and how I might never get to see them again. I don't know the chances of us making it out of here. _

_"…if we ever get back," I added, matching my thoughts. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucy's smile deflate, and I felt a little guilt build up in me. "I'm sorry I'm like that. We used to have fun together, didn't we?"_

_"Yeah…before you got boring!" She gave a joking laugh._

_"Oh, really?" And without her expecting it, I splashed her. She retaliated doing just the same. Laughter and joy filled the air as some of our memories were relived. Just like old times._

I thought back to those old times, and chuckled lightly at those memories. It was funny to think of the time I was that young, being a little bit older now.

"The things you'll do for attention," I said with a smile, sliding lipstick over my soft, plump lips. After checking the mirror once more to ensure that no hair was out of place and every part of me looked its best, I made my way through the living room in order to reach the front door, giving my Mom and her friends a sweet smile before I left. I no longer had that knowledge and logic to impress everyone, but I found there were other ways to get attention.

"Helen, your daughter is so beautiful."


End file.
